Foot measuring apparatus



Feb. 4, 1.941. J J FLOWERS 2,230,941-

' FOOT MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l James J'- Flow-er: A?

INVENTOR .F/G5 1,; ATTORNEY Feb. 4, 1941. J. J. FLOWERS FOOT MEASURING APPARATUS Filed-NOV. 27 1 936 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 v James [fewer-s INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,230,941 Poor MEASURING APPARATUS James J. Flowers, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 27, 1936, serial No. 113,061

' 2 Claims. (01. 33-4) My invention relates to foot measuring apparatus, adaptable for arriving at proper shoe fittings for men, women and children.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision in apparatus of this character of means whereby a. conventional sales register such as is used in shoe stores and other mercantile establishments may be readily employed forhousing a supply of foot measuring charts.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the character described a novel foot positioning device which may be used in connection with a chart-containing sales register or upon a pad or stack of the'foot measuringcharts.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will be developed as the description proceeds, reference being had tov the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification. In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have .been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the I application of my novel foot positioning frame to a conventional sheet dispensing and storing sales register, such as is used in shoe stores and other mercantile establishments, andin which sales register are disposed the novel charts embodied in the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the foot positioning frame illustrated in Fig. l but showing the same applied to a stack or pad of charts instead-of to the sales register as shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3'is a plan view of my novel combined foot measuring chart and sales record sheet;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form. of foot positioning frame applied to a sales register such as is illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figure-5 illustrates a pad of the chart and sales record form such as is shown in Fig. 2, but provided with a book-like cover; 7

' Figure 6 illustrates a still further form of foot positioning frame which maybe used. in connection with the pads or stacks of charts illusa trated in Figs. 2-and' 5.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, numeral 1 designates 'a sales register of which there are a number onthe market. Such a register isarranged. to display and dispense 50 bills, sales records, and the like. in either single or multiple copy, and they usuallyhave means forstoring copies of each record that has been made. Since'the sales register, per se, forms no part of the present invention, no detailed descrip- 5 tilinbf same is necessary. However, itfmay be observed that the register I has an outlet slot la in one end as shown in Figs. 1 and 4; and also that its top is open except for the flange lb (Fig.

4) at the margin so as to display the uppermost form, in this instance the chart sheet I2. 5 Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that there is disposed upon the sales register 1 the rectangular frame 8 having the side flanges 9 providing the upper walls 9a extending above the inwardly extending flange H which rests upon 10 the topof the register I; and the downwardly extending walls 9b which overlie the side of the register to cooperate with the downwardly extending portion lllb of the rear wall In to maintain the device seated upon the register. There 15 being no downwardly extending wall at the front of the frame 8, the same may simply be slipped over the register 1, as will be apparent. The chart exit slot la (Fig. 1) is located at the open end of the frame 8. 2o

Theupstanding rear wall Ill of frame 8 is cut away as indicated at Illa so that the file or sales record l3 can be readily filled out while frame 8 remains in place upon register. 1. The cut-out I llais made at the center part of wall [0 so as 25 to leave heel stops at either side, it being understood that one side wall 9a provides a transverse foot engaging stop for the inside of the right foot whereas the other side wall 9a provides a similar stop or positioning means for the inside of the left foot when taking measurements (see broken line F, Fig. 3)

Especial reference is made to the fact that the upper edge of each of the walls 9a is appropriately graduated with numerals as at 91c for the pure pose of indicating the ball measurement, which is to say, the distance from the heel to the ball of each foot. The advantage of this will be referred. to in detail later on.

The novel. sales record and foot. measuring chart I2 has the sales record or data portion 13 located at the lower end as shown in Fig. 3 and this end is adapted to be located adjacent the rearor heel stop wall [0 of frame 8 when a measurement is to be taken. This means that when the right foot measurement is being taken the inside of the 'foot would lie against the far wall 9w (Fig. 1) with the heel against the companion portion of rear wall Ill. When the left foot is to be measured the inner side thereof abuts against the near wall 9a with the heel against the companion portion of the rear wall me. This will be evident from inspection of Fig. 3, wherein the outline of a foot F is shown.

Inasmuch as no scale or chart markings are necessary upon the area of the sheet I2 occupied by the sales or file record space I3, it is unnecessary that the foot measuring or chart lines extend thereinto. The file record portion of the sheet I2 may be torn off along the perforated line I4 and filed away after a transaction with a customer has been completed.

Fig. 3 also illustrates a series of horizontal lines I5 appropriately designated by scale readings I6 and Ilia at opposite sides of the blank I2. This series of horizontal lines I5 commences just above the perforated line I4, and such lines I5 are equally spaced in the direction of the length of the sheet I2, such series terminating short of the upper end thereof. The lines I5 are adapted to indicate foot lengths of children, and the scale readings I6 interpret such lengths into actual shoe sizes. In other words, a particular reading on scale It will designate a shoe materially longer than the customers foot and which, according to recognized practice, is the proper length shoe for the customer to wear.

Beyond the series of childrens foot length indicating lines I5 is a second series of horizontal lines l5a extending in the direction of the upper end of the seat I2, and located midway between the sides of the sheet I2 is a shoe length size scale I6b providing a size length designation for each of the lines I5a. This latter is for the measurement of the feet of men and women to indicate the proper length of shoe that should be worn in each instance. Here, as before, the shoe length sizes called for by the respective shoe length designations Ifib are appropriately longer than the actual foot measurement. This avoids any calculations on the part of the salesman as to the proper length shoe based upon the length of the foot measured.

It will be apparent that when the right foot is being measured, as indicated at F in Fig, 3, the length size markings Ifib will be readily associated with the toe of the foot inthe case of an adult; and if it is a childs right foot that is being measured, the length size scale Ida at the right of the frame will be readily viewable. The markings Ifib will similarly be disclosed when an adults left foot is being measured with the inside of same adjacent the right of the form (Fig. 3) and when a childs left foot is being so measured, the length markings Ida at the left of the form will be readily disclosed. When making a measurement it is usually desirable to trace the outline of the foot as shown at F at Fig. 3.

At each side of the form inwardly of the childs length size scales I5, I 6a, there is disposed the ball measurement scale, the one at the left being designated as at Ill: and being designed to enable the length from heel to ball to be readily measured as to the right foot; and the ball length scale I! at the right of the form enabling a similar measurement to be taken for the left foot. To arrive at the ball length measurement it is simply necessary to mark the chart at the joint of the great toe and at the widest part, raise the foot, and draw a line G connecting the two marks. The numeral of the ball length scale I! or Ila through which such line passes indicates the ball length in terms of actual shoe size, thus serving as a check upon the shoe length reading that is indicated upon the scale ISb for adults. No ball length measurement is required in the case of children.

Appropriate width sizes for the right foot of a woman, a man or child, are indicated by the diagonal lines I9 originating in an area midway between the sides of the chart I 2 above the sales record portion I3 thereof and extending diagonally towards the upper end and right side of the chart as shown in Fig. 3. These lines I9 are equally spaced in the direction of the width of the chart and are parallel with one another. A similar series of laterally diagonal lines 20 likewise originating in the area midway between the sides of the sheet and above the sales record portion I3, but extending toward the upper lefthand portion of .the chart serve to designate width sizes for men, women, and children. The form bears a right foot legend I8 at the left above the sales record portion I3 and a left foot legend I 8a at the right in the same position. Each of the lines I9 and 20 are disposed at an angle of twenty degrees to the perpendicular, such angle being determined by locating upon the chart, say two points, which represent the width at their widest part of the two lasts of different lengths but having the same width designation, and then drawing a line through such points. These lines are designated by numerals 2| to indicate childrens width sizes, and by numerals 23 to designate mens width sizes, while arrows 22 midway between lines 20, I9 in each series, indicate womens width sizes. Appropriate legends 21a, 22a, 230: are associated with the width size numerals. The width sizes indicated are the actual shoe size width required, there being no necessity for the salesman to do any computing.

The numerals of the shoe length scale indications indicate French shoe sizes, but it is obvious that they may be changed to indicate corresponding United States scale sizes. For instance, translating the French length size indications I5a, I5b, to U. S. sizes the numerals 33-245 inclusive indicated United States length sizes 1-13, inclusive, respectively; and the French width indications shown at 23,, for instance, namely French \mdth sizes 100, 10-16, inclusive, correspond to United States widths AA, A-EE" inclusive.

'When the frame 8 is used the ball length measurement will be conveniently indicated by the particular United States shoe length size indication 90, which is opposite the joint of the great toe.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of foot positioning frame, designated at 30, and having side walls 30a, 39a and a back wall 3%, overlying the exterior surfaces of the side and rear walls of the sales register I. Such frame 30 has vertical side slots 3| receiving studs 32 carried by the register I whereby the frame 30 can be slid to and from operative position. The studs 32 may be threaded into the side walls of register 'I so that the stud heads will clamp the frame in a predetermined adjusted position. The front of frame 30 is open the same as is frame 8 to admit of ejection of the sheets I2 through slot Ia by the usual manually operated means, not shown.

Frame 30 has the ball length indicating scale 33 which translates ball length measurements into United States shoe length sizes the same as scale 90 of frame 'I of Fig. 1.

Figures 2 and 5 illustrate a pad or tablet I2 of forms I2 upon which frame 8 may be positioned, as shown in Figure 2; and in Figure 5 the pad I 2 has a book-like cover I2b.

Figure 6 illustrates a further modification of frame 8, the same taking the form of the tray 40, open at its forward end and having the side walls 4|, rear wall 42 and bottom 43 upon which latter the pad I2a is adapted to be disposed beneath suitable clamp strips or the like 44. Upstanding posts carried by the bottom 43 of tray 49 may extend through the holes [311 of the forms or charts 2 to further hold the pad [2a in place. as described makes possible a ready and convenient means of inserting carbons where duplicate sales slips are desired.

The operation of taking measurements may i be briefly summarized as follows, assuming that a mans foot is to be measured.

The right foot is aligned with the left edge of the form it and the heel with the bottom edge. The left side and rear walls 9w, iii of frame 8 (or the corresponding walls of frame 30 or tray ll?) enable accurate location of the foot in this position to be quickly arrived at. Next, the outline of the foot, such as F (Fig. 3) is drawn. It is evident that the end of the great toe is located at the line lta calling for a French size 39 shoe, which means United States length size 7. Since the Widest point of the outline F is on the line of the French width scale H], which indicates a 14 shoe width, it is readily known that the customer requires a French size 39 length and 14 width for the right foot, or, the corresponding United States size 7D. That shoe length size 7 according to the United States mode of designation is required as confirmed by drawing a transverse line G from the widest point of the outline F to the mark on the form opposite the joint of the great toe. Such line passes through the numeral '7 on the ball length scale Ha. This length will further be indicated by the numeral 7, on the ball length scales 90 or 33 of frames 8, 39, respectively, if used, which will be opposite the place on the form l2, occupied by the joint of the great toe.

The left foot is measured the same way, but at the right side of the chart or form l2, and the width reading is taken from lines 20 instead of I9.

This open-ed end chart receptacle 40' When a womans foot is to be measured the procedure is the same, except that the width readings are taken on the soles 22 at points midway between lines l9 (for right foot) and midway between lines 26 for left foot, as indicated by arrows and shoe width size numerals 22 in Fig. 3 and as to the measurement of childrens feetthe soles 2| are used and lines I9, 2!] are used for width and lines l5 (instead of l5a) are used to arrive at the shoe length size required.

With respect to the pad 12a, it is to be noted that the sheets l2 in this form are considerably narrower than those used with the register 1. Consequently, the members 30 and 40 are considerably narrower than the register I. As aforesaid, there are several standard registers all of which are quite wide. However, in the modifled forms of my invention, a smaller record sheet is possible which takes up less space while losing none of the eificiency of the larger sheet.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim as new:

1. A foot measuring accessory comprising an open rectangular frame having elongated parallel side walls, an end wall perpendicular to both, and a flat internal flange extending laterally of said end and side Walls throughout their entire lengths intermediate the top and bottom edges of said walls, said flange and walls cooperating on one face of the frame to provide a foot guide and rest, and on the other face to provide a marginal seat whereby the frame may be disposed over a rectangular foot chart holder with the flange resting on the marginal portions thereof.

2. In combination; a foot chart holder comprising a casing open throughout its top face and means for presenting charts to such face at the top of the casing; and an open frame shaped to be engaged with the casing over its open top, said frame having walls constituting a foot guide.

JAMES J. FLOWERS. 

